Poster Abstracts

POSTER 3:

"Developing Information Competency: A Mentoring Experience"

ABSTRACT

Admittedly, most students enroll in a library skills class (LIBR 150) at California State University, Los Angeles because they are intimidated by the size and organization of resources in an academic library. A primary concern of the students is meeting their information needs using electronic resources. Interestingly, although the class is geared to freshmen, many graduate and upper division students enroll in the class. Two of the primary goals of the class are to promote information competence and to encourage students to recognize that the research skills they gain in the class are transferable. After the first semester, it was determined that the students needed more assistance in meeting the requirements of the class. It was decided to establish a support system of mentors for students enrolled in the class.

Librarians are assigned as mentors to each student. The students are required to meet with their mentor informally at least twice during the term to discuss the status of their class projects, and talk about problems they have with the class. The purpose of this assignment is to help students gain confidence in using the Library, develop search strategies to effectively use both print and non-print resources, strengthen their knowledge of how information is organized, and to ensure that they grasp the basic concepts of bibliographic research. Mentors also evaluate the students' final projects before they are submitted to the instructor, and complete a form with comments about the students' progress.

As a result of this support system, it is noted that students gain more confidence in using the Library, that they are much more familiar with evaluating information resources, and that the quality of their class projects is also improved. Further, students are much more at ease in using E-mail to correspond with mentors and the instructor.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Ying Xu John F. Kennedy Memorial Library 5151 State University Drive California State University, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90032-8300

E-mail: Yxu1@calstatela.edu Phone: 213/343-6401 FAX: 213/343-6401

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

POSTER 4:

"New Horizons in Scholarly Communication:
Fostering Competence in Research, Instruction & Publication"

ABSTRACT:

New Horizons in Scholarly Communication (URL: http://www.ucsc.edu/scomm/) was created by the Electronic Information and Scholarly Communications Ad Hoc Committee of the Librarians Association of the University of California (LAUC), Lee Jaffe, Chair, in 1995. It is maintained by the Scholarly Communication WWW Page Ad Hoc Committee of LAUC, Lee Jaffe, Chair. The UC campus representatives are:

Roy Tennant UC-Berkeley	Karl Kocher UC-Davis	Daniel Tsang UC-Irvine
Rita Costello UCLA	Steve Mitchell UC-Riverside	Julie Sih UC-San Diego
Brian Warling UC-San Francisco	Rosemary Meszaros UC-Santa Barbara	Lee Jaffe, Chair UC-Santa Cruz

We define "scholarly communication" broadly, as the various means by which information exchange takes place in academia--including the formal publication of research; informal discourse among colleagues; class discussions and lectures; data retrieval through local and global networks; and continuing access to the scholarly record in print and digital libraries. This website highlights trends affecting the process of creating, disseminating, retrieving, and using information for instruction and research at the university level. We have identified sources covering all aspects of scholarly communication which are of concern to the faculty, instructors, and researchers (as well as the students and staff) of the University of California, and, we hope, to all scholars.

This poster session will demonstrate examples of each type of communication included in the website. Samples of course-specific web pages and other experiments in electronic instruction will be included. Also featured will be scholars' perspectives on, among other things, changing paradigms for the validation of scholarly discourse in the digital age. Today's instructors and researchers are concerned about copyright and fair use, as well as academic freedom. All of these issues will be illustrated by annotated examples from the website.

Finally, access issues will be highlighted by examining the library's role in the electronic age, including its influence on information technology and policy as demonstrated by the evaluation and selection of materials in electronic formats, current projects in cataloging and network design and the debate on archival preservation of digital materials.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Rosemary L. Meszaros Davidson Library - SEL University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010

E-Mail: meszaros@library.ucsb.edu Phone: 805/893-2647 FAX: 805/893-8620

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

POSTER 5:

"Maximizing Models for Minimizing Mazes:
Extending Staff Resources for Library Instruction"

ABSTRACT:

As librarians in this emerging digital world, we are faced with two inescapable facts: we need to help our students gain the skills necessary to negotiate an increasingly complex digital maze, and we need to do so with shrinking library staffs. We not only need to provide the students with the traditional conceptual framework necessary to understand the process of finding, retrieving, and evaluating information, but we must expand and enhance the framework to encompass the resources of an expanding digital world. How have we been able to meet this challenge?

This poster will provide a graphic representation of several models of information literacy and technology instruction which have been used successfully at University of California - Irvine (UCI) to meet the challenge.

Collette Ford and Cathy Palmer, with input from UCI instruction librarians, have worked together to design and implement an instruction program which moves beyond the use of the traditional conceptual model and of traditional staffing methodologies. We have developed three instructional models that maximize the use of existing library staff while meeting the needs of our students to develop information competencies. The first model, which is used to provide E-mail training, employs undergraduate students, called Peer Information Trainers, as teachers. The second model, used to provide course integrated instruction, involves librarians teaching in an interactive, hands-on environment. The third model involves teaching library assignments, designed by librarians, to a group of course instructors who then teach the assignments to their students. All three models greatly extend the ability of a small core of librarians to teach basic and advanced information literacy skills to large groups of students. Each model can be adapted easily by others to meet the needs of their particular situation.

We are eager to share our experiences with others and feel that the CARL poster sessions offer an excellent opportunity to do so.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Catherine Palmer English, Comparative Literature and Classics Librarian Research and Instructional Services Dept. Main Library University of California, Irvine P.O. Box 19557 Irvine, California 92623-9557

E-mail: cpalmer@uci.edu Phone: 714/824-4972 FAX: 714/824 5740

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

POSTER 6:

"A Readiness Program for the Implementation of the
Unified Information Access System"

ABSTRACT:

The CSU system has embarked upon the development of a system-wide Unified Information Access System (UIAS). The UIAS will be a single, easy to use, Web-based user interface for library and on-line information resources. In preparation for the implementation of the system, the CSU Committee on Library Staff Development has contracted with the San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) to develop a Readiness training program. The goals of the program are:

1. increase systemwide expertise about UIAS services and benefits;
2. develop a systemwide support group and quality circle (cohort group) for UIAS activities during the critical implementation period; and
3. create a model for information transfer, exchange, and creation by committed teams of CSU library staff.

These goals will be accomplished through a phased educational program consisting of:

1. widespread dissemination of information about UIAS;
2. video teleconferences;
3. instructional materials for training of the cohort groups; and
4. informal and formal mechanisms for the exchange of ideas and information as CSU implements UIAS.

Phase One--Getting Ready. Information on UIAS will be distributed to all CSU library staff and a listserv will be established for dissemination of information and discussion. Each campus will select a cohort group to serve as UIAS advocates and trainers. SLIS will develop and administer a survey instrument to assess cohort members awareness of the UIAS to refine their instructional modules. In addition, a separate listserv will be established for the cohorts.

Phase Two--Cohort-Training and Campus Exercises. SLIS will conduct a two-day video teleconference for cohorts from all campuses. The first day a panel of speakers who had have experience working with similar systems will discuss how these systems operate, their impact on the working environment and successful strategies for training faculty, students and staff to exploit the potential of the UIAS. Since Z39.50 is a component of the UIAS, the teleconference will include a demonstration on its use. On the second day participants will be given assignments on features of the UIAS they will be using in their workplace, e.g., interlibrary loan. Finally, cohorts will be instructed on the most effective ways of continuing the assignments when they return to their libraries. Videotapes of the teleconference will be edited and distributed to the campus libraries for viewing.

Phase Three--Sharing and Assessing Success. After a vendor has been chosen and the specific features of the UIAS are known, there will be a second videoconference for cohorts. At this one day conference cohorts will share their experiences and identify needed planning activities to develop campus support and to facilitate the transition to the UIAS. SLIS faculty, members of the expert panel, and the UIAS steering group will work with the cohorts to develop these strategic plans.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Ruth Hafter San Jose State University School of Library & Information Science One Washington Sq. San Jose, CA 95192	E-mail: rhafter@isc.sjsu.edu Phone: 408/924-2465

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

POSTER 7:

"Introduction to the Internet: A Six Week Course for Novice Users"

ABSTRACT:

This past year, USC's Leavey Library experimented with a six week Internet course for staff. "Introduction to the Internet" was intended for staff who had little or no experience with the Internet. Classes were held in a "hands-on" classroom, and the number of participants was limited so that all students would have their own computer. In addition to teaching students how to use the Internet, the course provided an introduction to relevant issues, such as copyright, evaluating information and the future directions of technology. This portion of the class typically featured guest speakers from across campus.

The model of a multi-session course offered a number of benefits to both the teachers and the students. Teachers and students were able to get to know each other better, fostering a supportive class environment. As the class progressed, we witnessed more students asking questions of, and teaching, each other. Since the course built on knowledge learned in earlier sessions, we knew all students were at the same "level." While USC offers a variety of drop-in classes on the Internet, many staff were unsure of what classes to take (they didn't know what they didn't know). Participants registered knowing that in six weeks they'd be up and running on the Internet. In addition, the class was offered through University Staff Development, helping us contact a portion of the campus we might not otherwise have reached. This association offered credibility for the course to be viewed as job development for staff and made it easier for people to get release time from work.

The course was offered three times and we made changes to the syllabus each time. We learned that for any session, less is more. Each session originally featured a review of the previous session's material, an introduction to a new skill, time for practice and a guest speaker. Students often felt rushed, and preferred more practice time over the guest speakers. For each skill we provided in-class exercise and take-home exercises, and again while some students appreciated the take-home exercises, most students preferred to practice in class with the instructors present. Staff members most valued information and skills they could take back to their office and use. Therefore it was important to offer practical applications for learned skills. In addition, since various campus offices use different equipment, it was important that the instructors be able to anticipate and explain any differences students might see on their office computer. Finally, one of our most popular speakers was a staff member from UCS who could explain the campus network and how participants could get connected in their offices. We learned that his visit was most successful when it came at the end of the course, once students had learned enough to have questions about their individual situations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Melissa Anderson Reference/Instruction Librarian The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Library University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 90089-0182	E-mail: melissaa@usc.edu Phone: 213/740-5792 FAX: 213/740-7713

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

POSTER 8:

"Simple Solutions for Patrons'
Frequently Asked Computer Questions"

ABSTRACT:

The poster will present California State University Northridge's methods of answering some basic questions patrons ask when they want to use the dozens of computers in the reference room. The poster will have enlarged excerpts from one page handouts we distribute at the reference desk, which answer questions about:

1. the library homepage and the Netscape software,
2. what resources/databases are available,
3. which of these are full text resources, and
4. how to take away the information found on the computer.

The poster will also present our latest attempt of getting patrons to use self-start methods to retrieve information independently.

A capable computer student assistant in the reference room developed web pages to answer Frequently Asked Computer Questions in a fashion which appeals to beginners. The web pages lead patrons to concrete search strategy examples and offer additional guidance on choosing from the multitude of online resources currently available.

By classifying the different problems patrons encounter when they first start using the computers, the FAQ web pages separate the technical computer aspects from the information retrieval process so that patrons do not lose sight of their ultimate purpose--to leave with either full text articles or a bibliography which will provide answers to their information request.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Marcia Henry Database Coordinator California State University Northridge 18111 Nordhoff St. Northridge, CA 91330-8327

E-mail: mhenry@csun.edu WWW: http://www.csun.edu/~mhenry/ FAX: 818/677-4136

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

POSTER 9:

"Electronic Reserves: One Step Towards a Digital Curriculum"

ABSTRACT:

The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Library of the University of Southern California began a pilot project for Electronic Reserves in the Fall semester of 1995, and the project has been so successful that it is now an integral part of our operation. In this poster, we will display our model of operation, discuss technical issues and copyright concerns, and demonstrate a few selected courses.

The contents of Electronic Reserves include assigned readings, lecture notes, exam files, and homework solutions. From the inception of the pilot project, the purpose of Electronic Reserves has been to provide greater accessibility to course materials by eliminating barriers such as geographic location, time, and number of physical copies. In addition, the system should be easy to use and should be accessible both on and off campus. Students should be able to read the materials online, or print, E-mail, or even download the files if they choose.

After reviewing the technologies available in Spring/Summer 1995, the project team decided to use the Portable Document Format (PDF) and the World Wide Web (WWW) as the backbone of the system. All course materials are stored as PDF files; journal articles and book chapters are scanned in with Adobe Acrobat Capture, and word-processed files are converted to PDF with Adobe Acrobat Distiller. The PDF files are loaded on the campus WWW server, and students can access them via the USCweb. Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is freely distributed over the WWW, is used for online displaying and printing of the course materials. The poster will detail the advantages of this PDF/WWW combination.

One of the biggest concerns in bringing up an Electronic Reserves system is that of copyright restrictions. Our approach is to abide by the law and clear the rights when necessary. The Library collaborates with the University Bookstore, which has considerable experiences in dealing with publishers for obtaining copyrights for course packs. Course packs are customized textbooks that the University Bookstore puts together in response to faculty requests. All reading materials for a course are copied and bound in one volume, and students can purchase a course pack for each class at the beginning of the semester. In the past, some faculty members used course packs, while others used library reserves for distributing assigned readings. With the new collaborative arrangement, both course packs and Electronic Reserves will be created for participating classes. This poster will elaborate on the benefits of such collaboration to faculty, students, Library, and the University Bookstore.

There are still many obstacles to establishing a successful Electronic Reserves system. Publishers are skeptical, and there are different degrees of willingness in granting copyrights for Electronic Reserves. The operation is time-intensive, and many faculty members deliver their material the day the reading is due. There are "lessons-learned" from the pilot project, and the authors will share them at the poster session.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Dudee Chiang Networked Information Resources Coordinator Thomas & Dorothy Leavey Library University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 90089-0182

E-mail: dchiang@calvin.usc.edu Phone: 213/740-1207 FAX: 213/740-7713

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

POSTER 10:

"MEDLINE--ANYWHERE"

ABSTRACT:

The Pacific Southwest Regional Medical (PSRML) is one of eight libraries under contract to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to coordinate regional health sciences information services throughout the U.S. Between 1991 and 1996 all regional medical libraries were commissioned by the NLM contract to actively promote end-user searching among working health professionals, targeting those without professional health sciences library services. PSRML staff have pursued this goal throughout the region that covers Arizona, California, Hawaii, and the Pacific Basin. No matter what the environment the message was always the same: information is keystrokes away when using a computer and a modem to connect to the National Library of Medicine's databases.

Grateful Med (GM) is part of NLM's effort to enable self-sufficiency among health professionals who are without medical librarians to conduct literature searches. GM is the National Library of Medicine's end-user software program. It has a built in telecommunications program, assists in searching 40 of NLM's databases, and includes an ordering function for document delivery. Access to the databases with GM makes information inexpensively available anywhere within the U.S.

With laptop and display panel in tow, RML staff visited small rural hospitals, inner city clinics, and even a correctional institution to demonstrate and provide hands-on training for Grateful Med. Institutions were encouraged to borrow a technology unit, consisting of a laptop and printer with GM software already installed, to provide search access on site for a month. At meetings of professional organizations, staff spoke on panels, taught workshops, or gave presentations to inform attendees of the easy availability of end-user searching. A few organizations requested articles to be written for their professional publication on the availability and use of Grateful Med to encourage their membership to use Grateful Med for healthcare information.

During the five years over 8,000 health professionals were encountered. The majority of them received their professional degrees before the age of user-friendly microcomputers. Staff had to teach the basics of using a microcomputer, often helping them to overcome their computer anxiety, as well as how to search a database. Health professionals who were recent graduates only knew how to search the system available to them as students at their academic institution. This group expected the search system to be able to accomplish searching in a specific way. Staff had to explain the difference in the GM way of searching.

Between 1991 and 1995 approximately 7000 new searchers from the region signed on with NLM. Most of them were health professionals gaining personal access to health information. NLM continues to promote information competency and self-sufficiency among health professionals in the new NLM contract by emphasizing the health professionals use of the Internet.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Claire Hamasu, Outreach Coordinator Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library - UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library 12-077 CHS Box 95-1798 Los Angeles CA 90095-1798

E-mail: chamasu@library.ucla.edu Phone: 310/825-1200 FAX: 310/825-5389

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

POSTER 11:

"Using GPO Gate, a WWW Interface to Federal Information, to Conduct a Legislative History of the Telecommunications Act of 1994"

ABSTRACT:

GPO Access is the official online source from the Federal government for government information, including the Congressional Record, Congressional Bills, Federal Register, and more. Information specialists at the University of California, San Diego, have designed a powerful, user-friendly World Wide Web interface to this suite of databases, called GPO Gate. GPO Gate is now the official University of California gateway to the GPO Access databases. Many in the library community use this site and it is quickly gaining popularity with the general public as the place to find up-to-the-minute access to key legislation in Washington, D.C.

As more and more government information is migrating from a traditional paper format to an electronic format, it has become imperative that the American public is guaranteed the same ease-of-access to federal information regardless of the material's format. The flood of electronic government information can be overwhelming to many and the need for easy-to-use interfaces such as GPO Gate guarantees equitable access to all to government information.

A primary goal of the designers of GPO Gate was to create an interface that allows remote users to be completely self-sufficient and successful in their search for government information. This is facilitated by a user-friendly interface and help screens that boost users over the many hurdles encountered in an electronic environment.

This session will focus on a practical application of the use of GPO Gate illustrating how to conduct a legislative history of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 in an electronic environment. Help screens, search formulation, and interpretation of search results will be highlighted. The session serves as an example of an instruction session using GPO Gate. Handouts will be provided, which librarians can adapt to their own clientele's needs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Patricia Cruse University of California, San Diego Social Sciences & Humanities Library, 0175R 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla, CA 92093-0175

E-mail: pcruse@ucsd.edu Phone: 619/534-4175 FAX: 619/534-7548

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

POSTER 12:

"Creating a Virtual Library Tour on the WWW"

ABSTRACT:

Because of the easy accessibility and the popularity of the WWW, Leavey Library is creating a virtual library tour on the WWW.

The tour includes a map of the library with service points highlighted. With a click of the mouse, users can scan a library floor, gather information on the departments and the services they provide. They can read/download library policy, hours, forms, and research guides/finding aids, etc. And because of the interactive nature of the web, students can ask a reference question, making comments and suggestions via e-mail. With links to the library OPAC, students have a hands-on experience learning how to find books/journals, learning how to use the Boolean operators, and learning how to locate book reviews. Faculty can download the forms needed to request library classes and reserve hands-on computer classrooms in Leavey. The virtual tour can be used in conjunction with the Leavey instruction classes. Instructors can require that students browse the tour page before they come to the library for instruction given by librarians. Also, instructors can use the tour page to design their own research classes. In addition, the tour page provides links to other campus libraries and resources.

The Virtual Tour encourages users to get on the World-Wide Web, and to seek and explore information on their own.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Xiaoyang Liu Instruction/Reference Librarian Leavey Library

E-mail: xiaoyang@usc.edu Phone: 213/740-9259 (work)

Index of Poster Titles	Index of Poster Authors	Poster Session Guidelines

 

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